donate goods
Changing lives and creating healthy homes
Your in-kind donations help us create a safe, comfortable community for women experiencing homelessness across Los Angeles. Please review our guidelines below and schedule your donation drop-off. Please note that we cannot accept unscheduled deliveries!
CURRENT NEEDS
The Downtown Women’s Center is currently seeking the donation of a portable projector & projector screen to support client centered programming. Thank you for your consideration.
CLOTHING
We are currently accepting new and gently worn women’s, men’s, and unisex clothing styles in sizes XS – 3XL.
Clothing must be NEW, or gently worn and freshly laundered within 2-week of your donation appointment. Please fold and sort by type and do not include footwear in clothing bags. We cannot accept clothing on hangers.
HIGH PRIORITY NEEDS:
- underwear (XS-2XL) NEW
- bras (band: 34-42, cup: A, B, C, DD) NEW
- sports bras
- stretch pants such as leggings
- seasonal clothing
BAGS & OUTDOOR GEAR
- backpacks
- duffle bags
- gym bags
- tote bags
- suitcases
- tarps
- tents priority need
- sleeping bags priority need
- blankets
- seasonal items (weather)
PERSONAL CARE
All personal care items must be in NEW and unopened condition in standard or travel sizes. Interested in assembling Toiletry Kits? Check out our Help From Home Kit opportunities.
- hand soap
- facial cleanser
- facial moisturizer
- body wash or soap priority need
- body lotion
- shampoo
- conditioner
- toothbrush & toothpaste
- pads with wings and tampons
- incontinence briefs
- makeup & accessories
- perfume
HOUSEHOLD ITEMS
All household items must be in clean, working order with all necessary elements included. Interested in creating Clean Home Kits? Check out our Help From Home Kit opportunities.
- air mattresses priority need
- bedding for twin or full size beds NEW
- cleaning products, like dish soap NEW
- bath towels NEW
- kitchen towels NEW
- dishware
- silverware
- drinkware
- basic cookware sets
- hot water kettle
- coffee maker with carafe
- can openers, electric is preferred
- trash bags priority need
- toilet paper priority need
- lighting
- journals, books & magazines
GIFT CARDS
We are currently accepting gift cards to Downtown LA stores such as Food 4 Less, CVS, Target, and Ralphs.
We recommend amounts between $20-50.
NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING
- Worn down or torn items, such as shoes, clothing, and books.
- Swimwear or beachwear
- Baby and children's clothing or baby care items.
- Expired goods, such as personal care items or canned food.
- Medicines or supplements.
- Panty liners or menstrual cups.
- Candles or incense.
- Large furniture, such as mattresses and sofas.
- Large electronics, such as laptops and large TVs.
- Wine openers and butcher knives
- Unwashed or deeply stained kitchen items.
- Appliances or items that are expensive to maintain, such as pod based coffee makers.
- Any items with visible or detectable mold.
OTHER WAYS TO DONATE GOODS
DONATION DRIVES: If you are interested in organizing a donation drive, promotion, or fundraiser to benefit the Downtown Women’s Center, please contact Events@DowntownWomensCenter.org or fill out our fundraiser form.
HELP FROM HOME KITS: If you are interested in assembling kits that support our daily programming, please review the instructions online. Please contact GroupVolunteerEvents@downtownwomenscenter.org with questions.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Contact us at DonateGoods@DowntownWomensCenter.
Questions about Help From Home Kits? please contact GroupVolunteerEvents@downtownwomenscenter.org.
All donation drop-offs must be scheduled.
Currently, donation drop-off appointments are available Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 12:00pm.
Self-schedule your donation appointment here.
We accept donations at our San Pedro site located at 442 S. San Pedro Street Los Angeles, CA 90013.
Upon arrival, please pull up to the green gate and let security know you have a donation drop-off appointment: the green gate is located on the East side of San Pedro Street between 5th Street and Winston Street. Security will direct you to our loading area.
On some occasions, we may need furniture donations. Please contact DonateGoods@downtownwomenscenter.
Please note that we do not have the capacity to pick up any donated furniture.
If you would like a receipt, please request one at the time of your donation drop-off appointment.
If you forget to request a receipt onsite, please email DonateGoods@DowntownWomensCenter.
If you purchased something off of our Target registry, we do not have records of your order. You can go to the ‘Your Orders’ section on your Target account to find a record of your purchase.
DWC’s highest needs are always changing, based on the feedback of the women and gender diverse individuals we serve and our current inventory of donated goods. For the most up-to-date list of items, please look at the list above. You can also contact DonateGoods@DowntownWomensCenter.
You can also purchase items on our Target registry. These items are our top priority and give a great opportunity to support DWC from afar!
If you plan on dropping off a large donation, which we qualify as 8 trash bags or more, you must give notice 1-week ahead of time by contacting DonateGoods@DowntownWomensCenter.
If you are organizing a donation drive, please contact us at DonateGoods@DowntownWomensCenter.
Unfortunately, we have limited staff on-site who have their hands full running the programs and services for the women we serve. We are unable to pick up donated items.
If you have a question about Help From Home Kits, please contact GroupVolunteerEvents@downtownwomenscenter.org.
Yes, you can ship a donation to DWC. Please contact us ahead of time to confirm we are in need of the item(s) you want to donate and to make sure we can receive the quantity you plan on donating. You can email us at DonateGoods@DowntownWomensCenter.org.
We are not in need of items for babies or children, as we exclusively serve adult women.
We do accept adult menswear. The women we serve have a variety of style preferences, including masculine.
We accept gently-worn and new shoes of all sizes. Please do not donate run-down shoes, as the women we serve need sturdy, reliable shoes that will last a long time. We do not accept shoes with a very high heel.
We do accept donated books and magazines and welcome more books in Spanish.
We are not in need of makeup at this time.
Yes! We welcome unused cleaning supplies and/or Clean Home Kits for our residents. You can assemble Clean Home Kits by following the instructions here and scheduling a donation drop-off here. For any questions, please contact GroupVolunteerEvents@downtownwomenscenter.org.
Yes! We accept menstrual items such as pads with wings, tampons, and adult pull up diapers.
Thank you for wanting to support the Downtown Women’s Center in this way! Please complete our fundraiser form and/or contact Events@DowntownWomensCenter.
VEHICLES
You can donate just about any motor vehicle and receive a tax deduction for your donation. Complete and submit the following form, or call toll-free (855) 392-1227 (855-DWC-1-CAR) to arrange a convenient pick-up time. We’ll pick up your vehicle, give you a receipt, and take care of the rest!